National Geographic | Mind, Body, Wonder

This week: How alcohol harms the female body; using psychedelics for Alzheimer's and autism; a cure for hot flashes; what's in your shampoo; how a face transplant transformed one woman's life.

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Alcohol is much worse for women than men—and it's killing more women than ever before

With women now drinking nearly as much and as often as men, alcohol-related complications in women are rising. But even when consuming the same amount of alcohol as men, women are far more susceptible to its negative effects. From immune system disorders to breast cancer, here's how alcohol harms the female body.

WHY ALCOHOL IS WORSE FOR WOMEN THAN MEN

Alcohol and your body:

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How alcohol messes with your sleep

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Tannins? Egg whites? Sturgeon bladders? Here's what's in your wine

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN FINKE

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ FROM THE ARCHIVES‌ ‌ ‌

Our 9,000-year love affair with booze

People were imbibing alcohol long before they invented writing. But it isn't just a mind-altering drink: It has been a prime mover of human culture, fueling the development of arts, language, and religion.

ALCOHOL THROUGH THE AGES

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Can LSD heal a brain injury—or even treat autism? Some scientists think so.

Research has revealed that psychedelic drugs can improve mood disorders like severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Now, scientists are exploring whether these powerful medicines might also treat various brain injuries and diseases—including stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's—or even those whose brains are wired differently.

HOW PSYCHEDELICS WORK ON THE BRAIN

PSYCHEDELICS WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS? Why scientists want to create psychedelics that give better trips +

ILLUSTRATION BY MY BOX, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

A cure for hot flashes? We're getting closer.

The sudden onset of fast-rising heat, often accompanied by sweating, heart palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, and/or anxiety is much more debilitating than the zippy name suggests. While nearly all women suffer from hot flashes during menopause, researchers have only recently figured out what triggers them—paving the way for the first new class of treatments since 1941.

EXCITING NEW TREATMENTS

MYSTERIES OF MENOPAUSE: New research is piecing together what actually happens during menopause—and how best to cope +

WHAT DOES YOUR HAIR REALLY NEED?

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While countless products market themselves as promoting hair growth and hair health, it can be hard to figure out what your hair actually needs. We asked dermatologists to explain what "healthy" hair really means—and what all those shampoo ingredients do.

HOW TO READ LABELS

WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Most people only need these 3 products +

IS IT TIME TO MASK UP AGAIN?

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EG.5, a descendant of a previous XBB strain of Omicron, is on the rise across the globe and sending more people to the hospital. "We should take all of these subvariants very seriously." Here's what you need to know about the new variant and your immunity, and whether current boosters are effective.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

REINFECTIONS: How multiple COVID-19 infections can harm the body +

SLEEP APNEA'S TOLL ON THE BODY

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Even mild sleep apnea can cause you to stop breathing several times an hour—setting off a cascade of threats to your brain and heart health. Here's a deep dive into what the condition is, the short- and long-term consequences to your overall health, how it's diagnosed, and how to treat it.

HOW TO TREAT IT

READ MORE TOP STORIES FROM NAT GEO

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At 18, Katie Stubblefield lost her face. At 21, doctors gave her a new one, making her the youngest person in the U.S. to undergo the still experimental surgery. This is a story of trauma, identity, resilience, devotion, and amazing medical miracles.

FOLLOW HER JOURNEY

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What really caused the collapse of the Mayan civilization?

Dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin: Your happy hormones, explained

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